第55章

HAPPY FEAR GIVES HIMSELF UP

"I know how tired you are," said Ariel, as he came back into the room."Ishall not keep you long.""Ah, please do!" he returned, quickly, beginning to fumble with the shade of a student-lamp at one end of the desk.

"Let me do that," she said."Sit down." He obeyed at once, and watched her as she lit the lamp, and, stretching upon tiptoe, turned out the gas.

"No," she continued, seated again and looking across the desk at him, "I wanted to see you at the first possible opportunity, but what I have to say--""Wait," he interrupted."Let me tell you why I did not come yesterday.""You need not tell me.I know." She glanced at the chair which had been occupied by Mrs.Fear.

"I knew last night that they had sent for you.""You did?" he exclaimed."Ah, I understand.

Sam Warden must have told you."

"Yes," she said."It was he; and I have been wondering ever since how he heard of it.He knew last night, but there was nothing in the papers this morning; and until I came here Iheard no one else speak of it; yet Canaan is not large."Joe laughed."It wouldn't seem strange if you lived with the Canaan that I do.Sam had been down-town during the afternoon and had met friends; the colored people are a good deal like a freemasonry, you know.A great many knew last night all about what had happened, and had their theories about what might happen to-day in case the two men met.Still, you see, those who knew, also knew just what people not to tell.The Tocsin is the only newspaper worth the name here; but even if the Tocsin had known of the trouble, it wouldn't have been likely to mention it.That's a thing I don't understand." He frowned and rubbed the back of his head."There's something underneath it.For more than a year the Tocsin hasn't spoken of Beaver Beach.I'd like to know why.""Joe," she said, slowly, "tell me something truly.A man said to me yesterday that he found life here insufferable.Do you find it so?""Why, no!" he answered, surprised.

"Do you hate Canaan?"

"Certainly not."

"You don't find it dull, provincial, unsympathetic?"He laughed cheerily."Well, there's this," he explained: "I have an advantage over your friend.

I see a more interesting side of things probably.

The people I live among are pretty thorough cosmopolites in a way, and the life I lead--""I think I begin to understand a little about the life you lead," she interrupted."Then you don't complain of Canaan?""Of course not."She threw him a quick, bright, happy look, then glanced again at the chair in which Mrs.Fear had sat."Joe," she said, "last night I heard the people singing in the houses, the old Sunday-evening way.It `took me back so'!""Yes, it would.And something else: there's one hymn they sing more than any other; it's Canaan's favorite.Do you know what it is?""Is it `Rescue the Perishing'?""That's it.`Rescue the Perishing'!" he cried, and repeating the words again, gave forth a peal of laughter so hearty that it brought tears to his eyes."`RESCUE THE PERISHING'!"At first she did not understand his laughter, but, after a moment, she did, and joined her own to it, though with a certain tremulousness.

"It IS funny, isn't it?" said Joe, wiping the moisture from his eyes.Then all trace of mirth left him."Is it really YOU, sitting here and laughing with me, Ariel?""It seems to be," she answered, in a low voice.

"I'm not at all sure."

"You didn't think, yesterday afternoon," he began, almost in a whisper,--" you didn't think that I had failed to come because I--" He grew very red, and shifted the sentence awkwardly: "I was afraid you might think that I was--that I didn't come because I might have been the same way again that I was when--when I met you at the station?""Oh no!" she answered, gently."No.I knew better.""And do you know," he faltered, "that that is all over? That it can never happen again?""Yes, I know it," she returned, quickly.

"Then you know a little of what I owe you.""No, no," she protested.

"Yes," he said."You've made that change in me already.It wasn't hard--it won't be--though it might have been if--if you hadn't come soon.""Tell me something," she demanded."If these people had not sent for you yesterday, would you have come to Judge Pike's house to see me? You said you would try." She laughed a little, and looked away from him."I want to know if you would have come."There was a silence, and in spite of her averted glance she knew that he was looking at her steadily.

Finally, "Don't you know?" he said.

She shook her head and blushed faintly.

"Don't you know?" he repeated.

She looked up and met his eyes, and thereupon both became very grave."Yes, I do," she answered."You would have come.When you left me at the gate and went away, you were afraid.

But you would have come."

"Yes,--I'd have come.You are right.I was afraid at first; but I knew," he went on, rapidly, "that you would have come to the gate to meet me.""You understood that?" she cried, her eyes sparkling and her face flushing happily.

"Yes.I knew that you wouldn't have asked me to come," he said, with a catch in his voice which was half chuckle, half groan, "if you hadn't meant to take care of me! And it came to me that you would know how to do it."She leaned back in her chair, and again they laughed together, but only for a moment, becoming serious and very quiet almost instantly.

"I haven't thanked you for the roses," he said.

"Oh yes, you did.When you first looked at them!""So I did," he whispered."I'm glad you saw.

To find them here took my breath away--and to find you with them--""I brought them this morning, you know.""Would you have come if you had not understood why I failed yesterday?""Oh yes, I think so," she returned, the fine edge of a smile upon her lips."For a time last evening, before I heard what had happened, I thought you were too frightened a friend to bother about."He made a little ejaculation, partly joyful, partly sad.